


An Almost Date

by libellules



Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV)
Genre: M/M, how did i manage to write ONLY fluff, like literally no angst, pure fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-24 00:38:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17090792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/libellules/pseuds/libellules
Summary: For the request: Future fic where Alex and Justin both return to Crestmont years later (in college or post college) and run into each other and start hanging out and discover that they still like each other. And GO ON A DATE





	An Almost Date

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bitterblue33](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bitterblue33/gifts).



Alex wasn’t looking forward to summer break at all. Granted, he was looking forward to a break from school, but an entire summer in Crestmont sounded like total hell. He only had one more semester left of school and then he was moving to Seattle and never stepping foot in this town again –except his holiday obligations to see family. 

Since the first moment, Alex had pretty much always hated Crestmont. He had been perfectly happy growing up in rural Michigan and he had surprisingly thrived for the eight years he spent in Austin, Texas before moving to California. At first Crestmont had just been lonely, and then he found Hannah and Jess. He regretted ditching Hannah for his relationship with Jess, but at the time he hadn’t thought it was that big of a deal. And then he and Jess broke up and then Hannah killed herself and then Alex shot himself in the head. Hence, the shitty impression Crestmont left on Alex. 

The countdown had started halfway through junior year for the beginning of school in Berkeley, and Alex rejoiced as he saw the Crestmont city limits in his rearview mirror. Coming home for the holidays had sucked because Zach, studying marine biology in Melbourne, Australia; had his summer break in the winter. Alex would be all alone with only his parents to keep him company in a town he absolutely loathed for two and a half months. 

In order to distract himself from total boredom, Alex decided his first day in Crestmont would be spent looking for a job. He swung by Monet’s to put in an application, another to Starbucks, another to Whole Foods, and finally he dropped one off at an Italian restaurant. Luckily, he got a call from Monet’s two days later asking him to come in for an interview. He was so relieved and immediately found himself keeping busy with espresso machines and French pastries. 

His boss was pretty chill and the four other baristas were nice enough, all of them still in high school. Alex didn’t click with them anyway, they were too giddy and full of life. Alex was especially somber when he was back in Crestmont. 

He saw some familiar faces from time to time: Courtney and her long-term girlfriend Stefanie, his high school English teacher often spent hours in the booths grading papers, and once he found himself making Jess an iced latte. It was very awkward. 

When Jess told Alex she had slept with Justin the night of the school dance, Alex was devastated and heartbroken. They had left things on pretty shitty terms. She smiled at Alex but he just handed her the coffee and moved on to the next customer without a word. 

Alex spent most of his time working, but during his off hours he found himself driving the streets and wandering random shops he had never cared about before. He spent a great deal of time in Barnes & Noble reading flaps and book covers and sipping hot chocolates in the Starbuck’s cafes. 

One particular day, it had to be a Thursday, Alex ran into to someone. It was cloudy and gross outside so Alex had treated himself to a hot chocolate and a cookie. He had the cookie resting on the lid of his drink to keep it warm while he browsed books with his other hand. And then suddenly he turned and a man bumped into him sending the cup to the ground and the cookie split in half, lacing into the musty carpet below. 

“Shit, I’m so sorry, I-, Alex Standall?” 

“Justin Foley?” 

“Yeah it’s me,” Justin said smiling, eyes flicking between Alex and the spilled treats on the floor. He looked hesitant, he looked… _shit, he looked different_. He had let his hair grow out a little so the curls were prominent. His face was still skinny and defined, piercing blue-green eyes softer now. He looked exhausted actually, bags under his eyes, sweats, a hoodie. “I’m so sorry, I can buy you another, uh.” 

“That’s okay, you don’t have to do that.”

“Fuck, Standall, let me buy you a new drink okay,” Justin said, similar tone to his words as he’d used in high school. “You look good man, hitting the gym I see.” Alex was silent for a moment before he had even processed the changing mood of the conversation. Justin seemed like there wasn’t any tension between them, like they were these close old friends. Alex had spent the last three years hating Justin’s guts for sleeping with Jess. 

“Yeah, I guess I have. You look, well…”

“I know I look like shit, man. I just got finished with a nine-hour shift at work and I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus.”

“Where are you working?”

“Carpet installation.”

“How thrilling.”

“Okay, I know it’s not the most exciting but it pays the bills. What about you, where are you working?”

“Monet’s, for the summer though. I’m headed back to Berkeley in August to finish up school.” 

“Hey, that’s good fucking school, congrats,” Justin smiled in what seemed like a sincere way. 

“Where do you go again?”

“Oh, I uh… I’m not in school right now but, you know, just seeing where life takes me I guess.” 

“Yeah, college isn’t for everyone.” 

“Thank you,” Justin said, eyes flickering again. He coughed. “Anyway, I’m serious about that drink. You busy this weekend?” Alex couldn’t tell if he was actually being serious. 

“I’m free Saturday night?” 

“Great, pick you up at seven,” Justin stated, beginning to make his way around Alex. 

“Justin, wait, I-,” but Justin waved and made his way out of the store.

* * *

Alex felt weirdly nervous as he got dressed and brushed out his hair. It wasn’t a date, exactly, but it wasn’t two old friends grabbing a beer either. They hadn’t spoken in years. They’d been friends but they had never even been that close. 

He tossed a cardigan over his shirt and decided he was ready enough, then made his way downstairs just in time to hear the doorbell. Sure enough, Justin was waiting outside. 

“Hey.”

“Hey, Standall. Ready?”

“Yep.”

Alex followed Justin across the front yard and into Justin’s car. It was an old, worn in Toyota Prius –typical Jensen car. It was quiet and awkward when they got in the car, classic rock playing quietly on the radio. 

“Where are we going?” Alex asked, dying to break the silence and the awkwardness. 

“You like coffee, right? A new place just opened up downtown,” Justin explained, eyes locked on the road ahead. 

“Oh, that’s nice,” said Alex. “Isn’t it a little late for coffee though?” 

Justin suddenly looked over at Alex with huge puppy dog eyes looking nervous and guilty. 

“I’m sorry, we can go somewhere else. It’s not like-,”

“Justin, it’s fine. Coffee sounds great.” 

“You sure?” Those damn puppy dog eyes. 

“I’m positive. I could use some coffee anyway.” 

“Great.” Justin smiled. 

They pulled up to the café a few minutes later. As they walked inside Alex realized it was actually a pretty cool place: local artist’s work surrounding the walls, a bar in the back, a stage for what could be assumed music or poetry, and dozens on little tables with very comfortable looking seating. 

Alex and Justin found a table near the back that was quiet. The menu was mostly coffees and teas but also an assortment of sandwiches, desserts, and bagels. 

“Hey Justin?” 

“Yeah?”

“Can I ask you a question?” Justin nodded. “Why did you ask me here? And don’t give me the spilling my drink shit.” Justin blushed and Alex almost thought it looked weirdly adorable on him. 

“I wanted to like, apologize and stuff.” Alex surely hadn’t expected that. “I slept with Jess when I knew you two were together, and I was sort of shitty to you for a while before that. Anyway, I’m really sorry.” 

“Wow, that’s really big of you,” said Alex, trying but failing not to sound sarcastic. Justin didn’t seem to understand it was genuine, looking defeated. “Like seriously, thanks for that. Water under the bridge.” Justin smiled slightly. Now that Alex noticed, he had never seen Justin really smile before. He had been so angry or upset whenever he had been around Alex in high school. Now he was in a soft sweater with curls falling over his eyes looking weirdly sweet across from Alex apologizing for being an asshole. Alex forgave him instantly, he had never really been that angry with him –more with Jess and with himself for never being enough to keep Jess happy. 

“Are you doing okay, like for real okay?” Alex asked suddenly, flashing back to child abuse, juvie time, and heroin addiction. He didn’t look as small as he did during the last two years of high school, but he still hadn’t regained the body weight he had had before the heroin and homelessness. 

“I’m okay. The Jensen’s take care of me and I’ve got a job and an apartment now.”

“How are the Jensen’s? And how’s Clay doing?” 

“They’re great! Clay’s doing an internship at some big non-profit and mom and dad are actually headed to Vegas this weekend with one of my dad’s brothers for his birthday.” Alex was taken aback by the ease at which the words _mom_ and _dad_ rolled off of Justin’s tongue. There was a cliché little light in Justin’s eyes when he said those two words. Alex was really happy for him. He remembers the Justin who begged Alex for a space in his garage, who let Bryce treat him like garbage for a bed, who lived on a fucking sidewalk for months after getting the shit kicked out of him. 

“And you promise you’re doing okay?” 

“I’m okay, Alex. What about you?”

“I’ve been better, Crestmont sucks. But I’m really happy with my life right now.” 

They small talked a little about Zach and Clay before the waiter came to take their orders. He returned shortly with a coffee, a hot chocolate, and two pieces of cake. The longer they talked the more Alex realized they had a surprisingly large amount in common. Justin talked a lot and Alex found it very endearing when he would begin rambling and go off on a tangent about god knows what. Finally, Alex would butt in and sway the topic to something else. 

Alex drew a few conclusions from their talk. One, Justin loved Clay. And not just in that sibling way, he idolized him like a true younger brother type of way. He praised Clay’s accomplishments, how well he was doing in school, and his relationship with a girl named Kristen from school. The second thing Alex realized, Justin didn’t have many people in his life anymore. He had the Jensen’s, yes, but it seemed like he didn’t get along with his coworkers and he spent a lot of time in coffee shops or driving back and forth to see Clay in San Diego. Alex thought he might be lonely, could be part of the reason he so quickly asked Alex for a coffee. And the third thing Alex realized, Justin hadn’t had a girlfriend since high school. 

It wasn’t that weird. Many people went a few years without a date or a relationship. But Justin Foley had always been a guy getting a lot of action, drawing the attention of many women. Alex found it very strange that he hadn’t had a girlfriend, or even a simple date, since he had slept with Jessica. 

“What about you? Find a future Mrs. Standall yet?” Justin asked after Alex finished interrogating him about his love life. 

“Not yet. I dated this one girl for a few months, Natalie, but she transferred so it sort of just died before it could begin. And then I was sort of dating this guy Collin, but we broke up a few weeks ago because he’s a piece of shit human being,” Alex explained. Justin seemed surprised, but contained it and continued as if Alex hadn’t just come out to him at all. 

“You’ve gotten laid. That’s what looks different about you,” Justin suddenly proclaimed as if he had just encountered a rare jewel. 

“Shut up, Jensen.” The conversation carried on for hours. Alex found himself growing more and more interested, asking more and more questions and Justin and his life. Alex learned that Justin hadn’t gotten into school and had to go back and get his GED after spending the majority of senior year in a rehab facility. He had been sober and clean ever since but had quite a hard time picking himself up off his feet for a long time after rehab. He had just moved into his own apartment a few months ago and a month prior had landed his first full-time job. 

Alex could tell that Justin was self-conscious about it all and it was hard for Alex to see the once exuberating confident Justin looking so unsure of himself. Although, Alex figured the confidence might have been a façade to protect an abused, scared, and lonely teenager. The difference now was Justin had a family, all of whom loved him and gave him a safe place to land. Alex could feel the warmth in the air when Justin talked about them. 

The talked until the café closed and then they drove back to Alex’s house. Justin pulled the car to a stop alongside the road and then turned the car off. 

“Alex?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Thanks for meeting me tonight. It felt really good to have somebody to talk to like that.”

“It was really good to see you. I sort of don’t have anybody in this town and spending time with you was like pretty damn nice.” Justin blushed and Alex smiled at him. 

“I uh, do you think we could, maybe?” 

“Let’s do this again,” Alex stated. Justin smiled, biting on his lip and looking down at his hands. Alex couldn’t tell if it was Justin puppy eyes, the way he had been blushingly soft all night, or if it was the way the moonlight was reflecting of his light skin, but Alex really wanted to kiss him. He had no idea if Justin was attracted to men, or if he thought of Alex in that way. Their almost date had been going so well and the last thing Alex wanted to do was make things awkward with his only friend in Crestmont. But Justin’s lips and his sparkly eyes. 

“Goodnight, Justin.” 

“Goodnight, Alex.” 

Alex reached down to unhook his seat belt and when he looked up Justin was watching him intently. Alex studied him for a moment, wondering. And then he didn’t need to wonder anymore: Justin was leaning in. Alex tucked a hand under Justin’s chin to lead their lips together over the seat console. They kissed for a few moments before Alex pulled away. 

“I’ll see you soon. This time the coffee’s on me though.” And with that, Alex got out of the car and went inside leaving a grinning Justin in the car, finally dating somebody again.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this lovely, and I really had to fight the urge to make yet another angsty Justin fic where Alex swoops in a saves him because this prompt was too adorable for me to make super sad. I wrote this at like two am and didn't even read back through it for grammar, so just ignore my inevitable spelling errors.


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